Beverly Hills homeowners on Benedict Canyon Drive discovered that a single company had filed more than $568 million in fraudulent liens against their properties, part of a surge in property fraud that is hitting high-value neighborhoods across Southern California.

Ortiz Consulting LLC recorded 35 mechanics liens since 2023, including 10 against six homes on Benedict Canyon Drive alone totaling more than $317 million, ABC7 reported in February 2026. The homeowners said they had never done business with the company. The Beverly Hills Police Department confirmed an active criminal investigation.

The local cases come as property fraud climbs nationwide. Fifty-nine percent of title companies reported at least one seller impersonation attempt in 2025, more than double the 28 percent in 2023, according to a national survey by the American Land Title Association (ALTA). The Beverly Hills Courier connected the trend to Beverly Hills in a Sept. 17 report.

A $17.4 million scheme next door

In March 2026, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California charged 11 defendants with wire fraud in what investigators called "Operation Hard Money." The FBI reported the scheme's intended losses at $17.4 million, with approximately $6 million actually stolen, CBS News Los Angeles reported.

According to the federal indictment, Nazaret Chakrian and Arnold Moradians, both from Hollywood, stole personal information from elderly property owners. Their targets held homes in Santa Monica, Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, Westwood and Chinatown. The suspects allegedly created fake IDs and email accounts in victims' names, then fabricated bank statements, rental agreements and death certificates to secure hard-money loans from private lenders.

The FBI's Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force led the investigation, with help from the IRS, LAPD and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Fox 11 reported. If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison per fraud count plus a mandatory two-year sentence for identity theft.

"It's a complex fraud scheme in which people are using private citizens' homes to leverage that to steal money," Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles field office, said in March 2026.

Fraud is getting harder to spot

The ALTA survey paints a broader picture. Nearly 23 percent of title firms said they encountered three or more impersonation attempts in the month before the survey, up from 4 percent two years earlier, according to Realtor.com.

Vacant land remains the top target, cited by 82 percent of respondents. Primary residences are increasingly at risk: 25 percent of firms identified them as a somewhat common target, up 13 percentage points from 2024. The ALTA survey found that 72 percent of respondents said absentee-owned properties were at least somewhat commonly targeted, and 68 percent said the same of properties owned free and clear.

Fifty-eight percent of respondents rated deepfake images or voices as at least somewhat common in these schemes.

Among firms that encountered at least one attempt, 25 percent reported a paid claim. Half of those that disclosed the average cost said claims exceeded $100,000.

What California law requires

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 255 into law in October 2025. Authored by state Sen. Kelly Seyarto, the law requires every California county to establish a Recorder Notification Program by Jan. 1, 2027, according to the OC Register. The program must mail notices to property owners within 30 days of any deed, quitclaim deed, mortgage or deed of trust being recorded. Counties may also offer electronic alerts.

One important detail for Beverly Hills residents: Los Angeles County is exempt from SB 255 because it already operates its own notification program.

What homeowners can do

The FBI recommends property owners regularly monitor public records and enroll in deed or title notification programs offered by their county recorder. Owners of vacant properties should set online alerts for their addresses and watch for unexpected changes in tax or utility bills.

Real estate attorney Mike Hensley told the OC Register in January 2026 that a property owner whose deed has been fraudulently recorded must file a lawsuit to cancel it and may also need to seek a temporary restraining order.

The LA County Registrar-Recorder's existing notification program is the first line of defense for Beverly Hills homeowners who want to know when someone files a document against their property.